Machine and Method for Machining Workpieces of Wood, Plastic Material and the Like

ABSTRACT

With the machine, workpieces are machined as they pass through the machine. At least one of the spindles of the machine is coupled with an adjusting unit with which the spindle, for producing a contour on the workpiece, can be adjusted transverse to the throughfeed direction of the workpiece during workpiece throughfeed. The adjustment of the adjusting unit is realized as a function of the advancing speed of the workpiece and/or the workpiece position upon throughfeed of the workpiece. The adjusting unit has such a stiffness and/or low clearance and/or positioning precision that the end products machined from the workpieces after exiting from the machine can be used without further post-machining. The end products have such a geometry precision and surface quality that further post-machining is no longer required.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns a machine as well as a method for machiningworkpieces of wood, plastic material, and the like, wherein the machinehas at least one transport path for the workpieces on which theworkpieces are transported through the machine, and has tools that arefixedly seated on spindles with which the workpieces are machined asthey pass through the machine.

It is known to manufacture end products from workpieces in several stepson stationary machining centers. Such end products are used, forexample, in the furniture industry, for example, as arm rests, legs offurniture, cabinet parts, and the like. The manufacture of such endproducts is very machine-intensive and time-intensive. Each workpiecemust be clamped on the machining center so that it can be machined bythe corresponding tool. The machining quality, in particular the surfacequality, is generally low so that post-machining is still required.

The invention has the object to configure the machine of theaforementioned kind and the method of the aforementioned kind in such away that workpieces can be machined to end products in a simple way athigh efficiency but still with high precision, in particular with highsurface quality.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This object is solved for the machine of the aforementioned kind inaccordance with the invention in that at least one of the spindles iscoupled with an adjusting unit having at least one adjusting axis,wherein the spindle, for producing a contour on the workpiece, isadjustable by the adjusting unit transverse to the throughfeed directionof the workpiece during the workpiece throughfeed as a function of theadvancing speed of the workpiece and/or the workpiece position as theworkpiece passes through the machine, and wherein the adjusting unit hassuch a stiffness and/or low clearance and/or positioning precision thatthe end products machined from the workpieces, when exiting from themachine, can be used without further post-machining.

The object is solved for the method of the aforementioned kind inaccordance with the invention in that, based on a desired and freelyselectable geometry or contour, an NC (numerical control) program forthe machine control unit is generated that upon throughfeed of theworkpieces is executed and repeated for each workpiece, in that thetravel or the position of the workpieces through the machine isdetected, in that at least one contour producing tool is movedtransverse to the transport direction of the workpieces by means of atleast one adjusting unit as a function of the desired contour, of tooldata, and of the workpiece position, and in that the adjusting unit hassuch a stiffness and/or low clearance and/or positioning precision thatthe finish machined workpieces, when exiting from the machine, have sucha geometry precision (trueness) and surface quality that they can beused without further post-machining.

With the machine according to the invention, it is possible to machinethe workpieces in a throughfeed method with high precision and inparticular with high surface quality so that the end products can beused immediately for their intended purpose. Post-machining of theworkpiece after exiting from the machine is not required. The machinecomprises at least one spindle which is coupled with an adjusting unitso that the spindle with the tool seated thereon, as the workpiecetravels through the machine, can be adjusted transverse to the traveldirection of the workpiece in accordance with the contour to beproduced. As an adjusting unit, a device is employed that isdistinguished by a high positioning precision and/or stiffness and/orlow clearance. A surface quality can be achieved which at leastcorresponds to the finish quality of the conventional surface machiningof workpieces. Finish quality is to be understood as such a machiningquality that post-machining of the end products is not required.

During milling of the workpiece with the rotating tool, a corrugationpattern is produced on the surface of the workpiece. The spacing of thecorrugations results from the chip removal in cycloidal sections duringcircumferential face milling or profile milling and is referred to asknife mark or planing mark. The shorter this knife mark, the smootherand finer the workpiece surface. The length of the knife mark depends onthe advancing speed v_(f) of the workpiece, on the rotary speed n of thespindle, and on the number z of the surface-generating knives of thetool. When all cutting edges work on the same cutting circle, the knifeimpacts correspond to the pitch f_(z) according to f_(z)=v_(f)/(n·z).Without special precautionary measures, even for multi-knife tools onlyone cutting edge is impressed on the machined surface due to thetolerances. In this so-called single-knife finish, z=1 is applied forcalculating the knife impact with the equation for the pitch. Therefore,by adjusting these three parameters as the workpiece travels through themachine, an extremely small knife mark can be achieved which leads tothe high surface quality of the end product. A good quality and a highquality surface result for planing/knife marks between 1 mm and 2 mm.The uniformity of the knife marks or of the corrugation pattern is alsodecisive for a high surface quality. Non-uniform knife marks can be theresult of, for example, tool or workpiece vibrations, fluctuations ofthe advancing speed or rotary speed of the tool, andclearance-exhibiting adjusting movements of the tool and can lead to theworkpieces not being useable or having to be post-machined. The rotaryspeed of the spindle and thus of the tool is adjusted to the advancingspeed of the workpiece such that the desired high surface quality, i.e.,uniformity of the knife mark and identical knife mark length, can beachieved on the end product.

Since the adjusting unit is embodied to at least have low clearance,advantageously however to be free of clearance, the change of the movingdirection of the adjusting unit has no negative effect on the surfacequality and the uniformity of the planing mark in workpiece machining.The great stiffness of the adjusting unit also contributes to this.

For a uniform advancing speed, depending on the contour and the feedspeed of the tool, the relative advancing speed and thus the pitch ofthe tool changes. For a uniform pitch, i.e., uniform knife mark, uponincreasing the relative advancing speed the rotary speed of the tool isto be increased. The travel speed or advancing speed of the workpiecethrough the machine and the feed speed of the tool is thus coupled tothe rotary speed of the spindle in such a way that a very high surfacequality results on the end product. For this reason, the rotary speed ofthe spindle supporting the tool is advantageously at all timesadjustable during throughfeed action as a function of the travel speedor advancing speed and the contour of the workpiece such that the knifemark is kept constant. The rotary speed adjustment can be performed by acontrol unit or feedback control.

Advantageously, the adjusting unit is designed to be free of clearancewhich is especially advantageous for a high surface quality.

Advantageously, the adjusting unit is a linear drive. With it, it ispossible to adjust the spindle with high precision and within a veryshort time relative to the workpiece such that the desired contour onthe workpiece is produced with the desired high surface quality. Sincethe linear drive has no clearance and a high stiffness, the tool can bevery precisely adjusted to the position that is required for contourmilling.

The adjusting unit can also be embodied by a ball screw drive. With it,it is also possible to adjust the tool with great precision, free ofclearance, and within a very short time to the desired working positionin relation to the workpiece passing through. A ball screw drive canalso be embodied free of clearance and with high stiffness so that agreat positional precision of the spindle or of the tool seated thereonresults.

The spindle with the tool is adjusted transverse to the advancingdirection of the workpiece through the machine. Advantageously, thereexists the possibility to provide the adjusting unit with at least onefurther adjusting axis. In this way, be means of the adjusting unit, thespindle or the tool can be adjusted within the plane that is defined bythe two adjusting axes.

Advantageously, the adjusting axes of the adjusting unit in this caseare positioned at a right angle to each other. This can be achieved verysimply in that the adjusting unit is embodied in the form of a compoundslide carriage whose two carriage parts independent of each other can beadjusted at a right angle to each other.

In order for the position of the workpiece in the machine to beprecisely known as it passes through, the workpiece position is detectedby at least one measuring device. In this way, the adjusting speed oradjusting movement as well as the rotary speed of the spindle can beadjusted optimally to the advancing movement of the workpiece as it isfed through the machine in order to obtain the desired contour with highcontour trueness and surface quality.

In an advantageous embodiment, the measuring device has a measuringroller which is contacting a side of the workpiece that is not to bemachined. The measuring roller is advantageously forced under pressureagainst the workpiece side so that, as the workpiece passes through, noslip between the workpiece and the measuring roller occurs. In this way,the workpiece position in the machine can be determined with highprecision.

The measuring roller is seated advantageously on a shaft whose rotationis detected by a rotary encoder. The rotary encoder provides accordinglysignals to the machine control unit that, in accordance with the rotaryencoder signals, adjusts the moving speed or the moving travel of theadjusting unit as well as the rotary speed of the spindle with respectto high contour trueness and surface quality. The advancing speed oradvancing movement of the workpiece in the machine is advantageouslycoupled by means of the machine control unit with the adjusting speed oradjusting movement of the adjusting unit, advantageously also with therotary speed of the spindle.

The adjusting unit is preferably a device that can be simply connectedto the machine. In this way, there is the possibility of retrofittingmachines that are already at hand at the customer with such a device sothat these machines are provided with an additional machiningpossibility for the workpieces.

It is preferred that the machine is a moulder. It enables machining ofall four longitudinal sides of the workpiece as the workpiece passesthrough. In this context, the moulder can be adjusted such that, forexample, only at one of the longitudinal sides of the workpiece acontour is produced while the remaining workpiece sides are notmachined. However, it is also possible to combine contour milling with astraight planing process and/or profiling of at least one additionallongitudinal side of the workpiece in the moulder. In this way, theworkpiece can be machined at its different longitudinal sides indifferent ways in a single pass through the machine.

With the method according to the invention, the geometries or contourscan be produced on workpieces with high precision and high surfacequality. First, based on a desired and freely selectable geometry orcontour, an NC (numerical control) program for the machine control unitis generated. Upon throughfeed of the workpieces through the machine,this NC program is then executed and repeated for each workpiece. Thepath or the position of the workpieces through the machine is detected.In this context, also the advancing speed can be determined with whichthe workpiece is transported through the machine. At least onecontour-producing tool is moved transverse to the transport direction ofthe workpiece through the machine by means of at least one adjustingunit as a function of the desired geometry or contour, of tool data suchas the tool diameter, and of the workpiece position. The adjusting unitexhibits in this context such a stiffness and/or low clearance and/orpositioning precision that the finish machined workpieces (end products)when exiting from the machine have such a geometry precision (trueness)and surface quality that they can be used without furtherpost-machining. After exiting from the machine, the finish machinedworkpieces have, aside from the high geometry precision, a high surfacequality which at least corresponds to the finish quality of conventionalsurface machining of workpieces. Therefore, the end products which areexiting from the machine can be immediately applied to their intendeduse. Since the workpiece position, i.e., the leading end of theworkpiece and the advancing speed or the advance of the workpieces, isdetected in the machine, the high geometry precision and surface qualityfor machining the workpiece are ensured in a simple way.

With the method according to the invention, the workpieces can bemachined such that the uniformity of the planer marks of the tool on theend products after exiting from the machine is not visibly impaired. Inparticular, at the reversing points of the adjusting unit or at thereversing areas of the contour, taking into account the high stiffnessand/or minimal clearance, a high surface quality of the end products canbe achieved. The high positioning precision of the adjusting unitmoreover leads to a geometry precision of the contour and thus of theend product.

The subject matter of the invention results not only from the subjectmatter of the individual claims but also from the specifications andfeatures disclosed in the drawings and in the description. Even if theyare not subject matter of the claims, they are claimed as beingimportant to the invention inasmuch as they are novel, individually orin combination, relative to the prior art.

Further features of the invention result from the further claims, thedescription, and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be explained in more detail with the aid of twoembodiments illustrated in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows in front view a machine of the invention in the form of amoulder.

FIG. 2 shows in enlarged illustration a part of the spindle arrangementof the machine according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows the detail III of FIG. 1 in an enlarged illustration.

FIG. 4 shows in an illustration corresponding to FIG. 2 a secondembodiment of a machine according to the invention.

FIG. 5 shows a workpiece that has been produced on the machine accordingto FIG. 1 or FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a schematic of the machine control unit interaction withdevices of the machine.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With the moulder described in the following, workpieces of wood, plasticmaterial, and the like are machined by contour milling. End productsprovided with the desired contour can be produced from the workpieces.Such contour-milled workpieces can be used, for example, in furnitureproduction, for example, as a leg for a chair or table, as arm rests,and the like. The contours of the milled workpieces can have any desiredshape and can be freely defined. The contour of the workpieces isproduced as the workpiece passes through the machine. The machine has aCNC (computerized numerical control) control unit as well as CNC(computerized numerical control) controlled tool axes.

The moulder is a milling machine with which the workpieces 1 can bemachined in a throughfeed process on all four longitudinal sides.Depending on the desired shape of the end product, the workpieces 1 canbe machined only on one side but also on several or also on all sides.The workpieces 1 are elongate workpieces which in general have aquadrangular cross section.

For transport of the workpieces 1 through the machine, advancing andtransporting rollers 2 are provided which are resting on the workpieces.

In the infeed area of the moulder, there is a straightening table 3 onwhich the workpieces 1 are supplied to the machine. On the right side ofthe straightening table 3 in the infeed direction, an edge jointingfence 4 is provided on which the workpiece 1 with its right longitudinalside in transport direction is resting during transport through themachine. The edge jointing fence 4 is adjustable transverse to thetransport direction of the workpiece 1 in order to adjust the size ofthe chip removal on the right longitudinal side of the workpiece 1. Thestraightening table 3 can be adjusted in vertical direction so that thesize of the chip removal at the bottom side of the workpiece 1 can beadjusted.

By means of an infeed opening 5, the workpiece 1 enters a machinechamber of the machine. In the machine chamber, a horizontal bottomplaning spindle is provided on which a schematically illustrated planingtool 6 is fixedly seated. It machines by chip removal the bottom side ofthe workpiece 1 passing through the machine, preferably by planing. Intransport direction of the workpiece 1 downstream of the planing tool 6,a vertical right spindle is provided on which a tool 7 is seated. It canmachine the right longitudinal side of the workpiece 1 in transportdirection. In the embodiment, the right longitudinal side is planedstraight with the tool 7. In this case, the tool 7 is a planer head withstraight knives. The tool 7 can however also be a profiling tool withwhich on the right workpiece side a profile is produced. In transportdirection of the workpiece 1 downstream of the vertical right spindle, avertical left spindle is provided on which a tool 8 is seated. Itmachines the left longitudinal side of the workpiece 1 in transportdirection.

When passing through the machine, the workpieces 1 are resting on amachine table 9 which forms a transport path on which the workpieces 1are transported through the machine by resting thereon. The machinetable 9 is fixed on the machine and forms a horizontal support plane andreference plane for the workpieces 1.

In transport direction of the workpieces 1 downstream of the right tool7, the workpiece 1 is further guided on a fence (not illustrated)through the machine. The workpiece 1 is contacting with its rightmachined longitudinal side this fence which is fixed on the machine andwhich forms the vertical contact plane and reference plane.

In transport direction downstream of the left vertical spindle, themachine is provided with a horizontal top spindle on which the tool 10is seated. The top side of the workpiece 1 is machined by it as theworkpiece 1 passes through the machine.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, a second top tool 11 is providedat a spacing downstream of the top tool 10 and is driven in rotationabout a horizontal axis.

At a spacing downstream of the horizontal top tool 11 a horizontalbottom spindle is provided on which a tool 12 is fixedly seated withwhich the bottom side of the workpiece 1 can be machined.

The workpiece 1 after its machining exits through outlet opening 13 fromthe machine.

During machining of the workpieces 1, the machine chamber is closed by amachine cover 14.

In the illustrated exemplary moulder, in the area between the two toptools 10, 11 a horizontal bottom table roller 15 is provided. A furtherhorizontal bottom table roller 16 is provided at the level of the outletopening 13. The machine table 9 is interrupted for the two paralleloriented horizontal rollers 15, 16 as well as the bottom tools 6, 12 sothat machining of the workpiece bottom side by means of the tools ispossible.

Based on the illustrated embodiment, in the following it will bedescribed how a contour is milled on the longitudinal side of theworkpiece 1 to the left in transport direction. For this purpose, it isrequired that the position of the workpiece 1 in the machine can bedetected at all times. For this purpose, in the transport direction ofthe workpiece 1 upstream of the left tool 8 a first measuring roller 17is provided (FIG. 3) which is freely rotatably supported about verticalaxis 18. The measuring roller 17 is located at the lower end of thevertical measuring roller support 19 which is received in a holder 20.The holder 20 is located at the free end of a support arm 21 which issupported so as to be slidable in its longitudinal direction in a holdertube 22. The latter is arranged in a suitable way fixedly on themachine. The support arm 21 is axially loaded by an axial force so thatthe measuring roller 17 is forced against the longitudinal side 23 ofthe workpiece 1 to the left in the transport direction. The support arm21 can be subjected to a spring force or to pneumatic/hydraulicpressure. In this way, it is ensured that the measuring roller 17 ispressed reliably against the longitudinal side 23 of the workpiece 1.Upon movement of the workpiece 1, the measuring roller 17 is reliablyrotated by the workpiece so that the position of the workpiece 1 isreliably detected.

A rotary encoder 24 is fixedly connected to the measuring roller 17 andis provided at the upper end of the measuring roller support 19 andsupplies rotary encoder signals to the machine control unit by means ofa data line 25.

Since with the left vertical tool 8 the contour is generated on the leftlongitudinal side 23 of the workpiece 1 and since the measuring roller17 in transport direction is upstream of the tool 8, the position of theworkpiece 1 can be properly detected.

In order to detect the leading end of the workpiece 1 and thus its exactposition in the machine, a light barrier 26 is provided in transportdirection upstream of the left vertical tool 8. It is located in thearea between the tool 8 and the measuring roller 17. When the lightbarrier 26 is interrupted by the leading end of the workpiece 1, thesensor of the light barrier 26 sends a signal to the machine controlunit. This represents the starting point of the positional measurementby means of the measuring roller 17.

The sensor for detecting the leading end of the workpiece is not limitedto a light barrier 26 but can be any type of sensing means capable ofdetecting the leading end of the workpiece, in particular of a workpieceof wood, with the required precision and speed upon its transportthrough the machine.

The first measuring roller 17 and the light barrier 26 can also bearranged in transport direction of the workpiece 1 upstream of the righttool 7 or even upstream of the top tool 10 or 11, depending on whichtool or tools are to be used for machining a contour on the workpiece.Then also, as soon as the leading end of the workpiece has interruptedthe light barrier 26, a start signal is generated for the positionmeasurement by means of the measuring roller 17.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the possibility that a further measuring roller 17 isnot contacting the longitudinal side 23 of the workpiece 1 that is to becontoured but is contacting its top side 27. Since in the embodiment theworkpiece top side 27 is not to be provided with a contour, the positionof the workpiece 1 in the machine can be precisely detected also bymeans of the measuring roller 17. The measuring roller 17 in this caseis freely rotatable about a horizontal axis. It is forced by means ofthe force-loaded support arm 21 in the described way strongly againstthe workpiece top side 27. The configuration of the measuringarrangement corresponds to the described embodiment with the measuringroller 17 rotatable about the vertical axis 18.

For travel detection by means of measuring rollers, a measuring roller17 must always contact the workpiece 1. First, this is done upstream ofthe tool 8 because a measuring roller downstream of the tool 8 can notyet detect the workpiece 1 and therefore no travel measurement ispossible. Once the workpiece 1 has left the measuring roller 17 upstreamof the tool 8, this measuring roller can no longer provide signals andthe travel detection must be realized by means of the measuring roller17 downstream of the tool 8.

By a sensor 38 on the measuring roller 17 it is detected when themeasuring roller 17 is contacting the workpiece 1 because, when themeasuring roller 17 contacts the workpiece 1, the support arm 21 in theholding tube 22 is axially adjusted and thereby the sensor 38 isactuated.

For travel detection, a measuring roller 17 which is contacting theworkpiece 1 is thus always utilized, wherein by means of the controlunit it is determined when which one of measuring rollers 17 is to beused for the travel detection. Therefore, essentially a cascadingutilization of the measuring rollers 17 occurs wherein however thetravel measurement of the downstream measuring roller 17 is based onthat of the preceding one, respectively.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the further measuring roller 17in transport direction of the workpiece 1 is arranged downstream of thetop tool 10. The arrangement of the measuring roller 17 depends on themachining tasks and on which tools are to be used for this purpose. Inthis context, it is necessary to flexibly bring into action and evaluatethe measuring rollers 17 depending on the machining task.

In the illustrated example, the two measuring rollers 17 upstream anddownstream of the tool 8 are used.

The travel detection of the workpieces 1 can of course be performed alsoby other known measures. For example, the travel detection of theworkpiece 1 can be realized directly by means of the advancing drive ofthe machine. In this context, the rotary speed of the drive, of thedrive shaft, or of the transport rollers is detected, based on theeffective diameter of the transport rollers, is converted to the travelof the workpiece 1 through the machine.

Moreover, a travel detection is also possible by optical sensors whichoperate contactless and are used instead of the measuring rollers 17 andcan be arranged in the same way as the latter in the machine.

The path of the workpieces 1 through the machine can also be detected bycameras in the machine chamber. The camera sends corresponding signalsto the machine control unit which evaluates the camera signals andutilizes them for position detection of the workpieces.

The travel detection can also be realized by means of a distancemeasurement by means of laser on the end face of the workpiece 1.

Furthermore, for example, the use of a linear scale on magnetic basisparallel to the advancing direction is possible for the traveldetection. In this case, in the workpiece 1 to be machined magnets areprovided. Also, the use of transponders in the workpieces is possible.Also, a linear scale as an incremental scale with correlated transducerin the workpiece or the like can be employed.

A further possibility of travel detection resides in that the workpieces1 are transported by means of chains. The use of chains has theadvantage that no or hardly any slip between the workpiece 1 and thechain occurs. In this way, the chain travel or the chain speed is usedfor determining the position of the workpiece 1 in the machine.

Finally, it is also possible to transport the workpieces, for example,by means of chains, bands, belts, or linear units that have projectingfingers with which the workpieces are held with form fit or pushed withform fit through the machine. In this case, the travel of the fingerscan be detected and can be utilized for positional determination of theworkpiece 1 in the machine.

In the illustrated example, the workpiece 1 at its longitudinal side 23is provided with a contour 28, as it is illustrated in FIG. 4. Thiscontour 28 is produced by the tool 8 that is arranged on the verticalleft spindle of the moulder. The top side 27, the bottom side 29, andthe two end faces 30, 31 of the workpiece 1 remain free of contours.During throughfeed of the workpiece 1 through the machine, the workpieceis contacting with its longitudinal side 32 to the right in thetransport direction the edge jointing fence 4, or the fence which is notillustrated.

The spindle supporting the tool 8 is adjustable in Y direction (FIG. 2)and thus perpendicular to the X direction. The X direction is thethroughfeed direction (transport direction) of the workpiece 1 throughthe machine.

The spindle of the right tool 8 is connected with an adjusting unit 33which is only schematically illustrated. The adjusting unit 33 isdesigned such that it can quickly and position-precisely adjust the tool8 in Y direction into the position required for contour milling.Preferably, the adjusting unit 33 is embodied as a linear motor which issuitable particularly to move the tool 8 quickly and with highpositioning precision into the desired position. The clearance-freedesign and high stiffness that distinguishes the linear motorcontributes to this. It is therefore possible to adjust the tool 8exactly into the position required for contour milling of the workpiece1.

As an adjusting unit 33, also a ball screw drive is conceivable. Thelatter can also adjust the tool 8 with high precision and quickly intothe desired position in Y direction.

In principle, all drive systems are conceivable that are at least lowclearance, advantageously are free of clearance, and have such astiffness that in particular for movement reversal of the adjusting unitthe required precision and surface quality can be achieved. In thiscontext, in particular also the dynamics and the masses to be moved ofadjusting unit, spindle receptacle, spindle, and tool are to be takeninto account. For the geometry precision or geometry trueness, thepositioning precision of the adjusting unit 33 is decisive in essence.For the uniformity of the planer mark of the tool, the stiffness and theclearance of the adjusting unit are decisive. The stiffness influencesin particular the hysteresis at the reversing points of the adjustingunit. The stiffness as well as low clearance or clearance-free design ofthe adjusting unit 33 are so good that the uniformity of the planingmarks on the end product is not visibly impaired in particular at thereversing points or reversing areas of the adjusting unit 33. When it isassumed that the depth of the planer marks is within a single-digitmicrometer range and a knife impact depth on the end product becomesnoticeable from approximately 10 μm on, the hysteresis and the clearanceof the adjusting unit 33 amount also to only a few micrometers.

The respective drive is linked by means of the machine control unit insuch a way to the transport speed of the workpiece 1 through the machinethat the adjustment of the adjusting unit 33 in Y direction is coupledto the advancing speed of the workpiece 1 through the machine or itsadvancing travel. Through the data line 25, the measuring rollers 17provide the corresponding travel signals to the control unit of themachine where the signals are processed/evaluated.

The adjusting unit 33 can be used as an auxiliary attachment device withwhich it is possible to retrofit moulders with an adjusting unit so thatcontour milling of the workpieces is also possible with the moulders.

Since by means of the tool 8 the contour 28 is provided on thelongitudinal side 23 of the workpiece 1 to the left in the throughfeeddirection through the machine, the adjusting unit 33 is provided on themoulder such that the tool 8 can be adjusted in Y direction relative tothe workpiece 1.

Depending on which side of the workpiece 1 is to be provided with thecontour, the adjusting unit 33 can be arranged on the moulder such thatthe contour can be provided not only on the left longitudinal side 23but also on the right longitudinal side 32 of the workpiece 1. It iseven possible to provide at the same time both longitudinal sides 23, 32of the workpiece 1 with a contour by means of the tools 7 and 8. In thiscase, the spindles of the two tools 7, 8 are coupled with one adjustingunit 33 each, respectively.

The contours on the workpiece can be provided not only at one or at bothlongitudinal sides 23, 32 of the workpiece 1 but also, for example, onits top side 27 and/or its bottom side 29. In this case, for example,the horizontal top tool 10 and the downstream horizontal bottom tool 15are adjusted in Z direction by means of the adjusting unit 33. In thiscase, the Z adjustment is also coupled to the advance of the workpiece 1in X direction so that the contour at the top side and/or bottom side ofthe workpiece 1 can be manufactured with the required high precision.

In this alternative embodiment, the measuring rollers 17 are alwayscontacting the workpiece side that is not to be provided with a contour.

The adjusting unit 33 can also be designed such that it not only canadjust the corresponding tool in a linear direction but also within aplane. Thus, it is possible in the illustrated embodiment to design theadjusting unit 33 such that the tool 8 is adjustable in the X-Y plane.This can be achieved, for example, by designing the adjusting unit 33 inthe form of a compound slide carriage whose two carriage partsindependent of each other can be adjusted in X direction and in Ydirection. With the two carriage parts, it is then possible to adjustthe tool 8 within the X-Y plane in any desired direction.

Accordingly, the desired contours can be milled also on the end faces30, 31 of the workpiece 1 with the tool 8. The adjusting speed can besynchronized in X direction with the advance wherein then, uponadjusting the tool 8 in Y direction, an end face machining at a rightangle to the longitudinal side 23 is carried out. Other angle positionsand end face contours are possible by a corresponding control of the Xmovement and Y movement of the tool 8 by means of the adjusting unit 33.

FIG. 4 shows a machine in which instead of the horizontal tool 10 adevice 34 is provided. It has a vertical tool 35 with which bores 36(FIG. 5) or slotted holes 37 can be produced in the workpiece 1. Thedevice 34 is moved along during production of the bores 36 or theslotted holes 37 in X direction with the workpiece 1 at the sameadvancing speed. In other respects, the machine is of the sameconfiguration as the preceding embodiment.

When producing the bore 36, the device 34 moves relative to theworkpiece 1 in Z direction. When the slotted hole 37 is produced, thedevice 34 moves in addition also in X direction or Y direction relativeto the workpiece 1. Since the slotted hole 37 in the embodiment ispositioned at a slant to the X direction, the device 34, after feedingin Z direction, is moved within the X-Y plane.

The tool 35 of the device 34 can be a drill or an end mill tool. Thedevice 34, for example, is a milling device that is acting from above onthe workpiece 1. The device 34 can also be arranged in transportdirection (X direction) on the left or right side. Then, the bores 36and/or the slotted holes 37 not only can be provided at the top side 27but also in the left and/or right longitudinal side of the workpiece 1.

As shown in FIG. 4, it is advantageously provided that the device 34 isalso movable about the X axis and/or about the Y axis. Therefore, theslotted holes 37 as well as the bores 36 can be introduced at differentangles into the workpiece 1.

It is furthermore possible to provide and arrange the adjusting unit 33such that the corresponding tool is adjustable by it in an X-Z plane orin a Y-Z plane.

It is finally possible to designed the adjusting unit 33 such that thecorresponding tool within the X-Y-Z space can be adjusted at will. Inthis case, the adjusting unit 33 also has an adjusting component in theZ direction.

The spindle for the tool 8 for milling the contour can also be pivotableabout an axis B which is positioned in the X direction (FIG. 2). Thiscorresponds to the function of a universal spindle of a conventionalmoulder. It is then possible to mill on the workpieces 1 contours thatare not rectangular but are positioned at a slant to the top or bottomsides 27, 29 of the workpiece 1. In particular, in such a case a slantof the tool 8 can be changed as the workpiece 1 passes through themachine so that the angular position of the contour changes across thelength of the workpiece.

Due to the adjustment of the tool 8 in radial direction (Y direction)and axial direction (Z direction) and pivoting about the X axis incombination with the advancing movement of the workpiece 1 (Xdirection), a four-axis machining in throughfeed is possible in amoulder for the first time.

In these variants, the adjusting unit 33 is also always embodied suchthat the corresponding tool can be adjusted quickly and with precisepositioning in the required position relative to the workpiece 1.

In the described variants, it is also possible to provide more than oneadjusting unit 33 so that the workpiece 1 can be processed at severalsides.

With the respective adjusting unit 33, the corresponding tool can beadjusted into any position upon throughfeed of the workpiece 1. In thisway, freely programmable contours can be provided on the workpiece.These contours can be provided on all sides of the workpiece 1. For thispurpose, the corresponding tools are adjustable with an adjusting unit33, respectively. Since the workpieces 1 are machined by a throughfeedprocess and the adjusting unit 33 enables a quick but stillposition-precise adjustment of the tool, very high productivity ratesare realized. For contour milling of the workpieces 1 only one machineis required with which the workpieces 1 can be machined in differentways.

For example, the top and bottom sides 27, 29 and the longitudinal side32 can be planed straight and the longitudinal side 23 can be providedwith the contour 28. Furthermore it is possible to provide, for example,the longitudinal side 23 with the contour 28 and to introduce on atleast one other side a profile into the workpiece 1. Accordingly,profiling tools are provided on the corresponding spindles. The contouras well as the profiles are then produced on the workpiece 1 in one passthrough the machine. Therefore, a plurality of working processes arecombined in a machine which enables very short throughfeed times. Thespace requirement is also minimal because it is not necessary to providedifferent processing machines for the different types of workpiecemachining. Storage for intermediately storing workpieces between theindividual machining steps is eliminated. Also, transport damages whichcan result from intermediate storage and removal and feeding of theworkpieces to different processing machines are avoided.

With the adjustable tools with which the contour on the workpiece 1 isgenerated, high surface qualities can be achieved. With the machine, asurface in furniture quality, i.e., with so-called finish quality, isproduced on the workpiece. In this way, post-machining of the contouredend products is not required. The machined end products which areleaving the machine can therefore be immediately applied to theirintended use. With the adjusting units 33, the tools can be highlyprecisely adjusted in the described way so that on the finish machinedworkpiece a high geometry precision with high surface quality isensured.

The workpieces can be positioned end-to-end, i.e., contacting each otherin longitudinal direction, or can be conveyed individually through themachine and machined. In end-to-end machining, a sensor isadvantageously employed which detects the respective leading end of theworkpiece.

Not only workpieces 1 of wood but also workpieces of other materials canbe machined. For example, the workpieces can be comprised of plasticmaterial, aluminum, and the like.

With the machine it is possible for the first time to provide workpieces1 with any contour in a throughfeed-operated profiling machine with theadjusting unit 33. In particular the use of a linear motor as anadjusting unit 33 makes it possible to mill with high precision thedesired contours on the workpiece 1. The machine enables the user toproduce such contoured workpieces with high surface quality in finishquality and high precision. Also, the machine enables a high efficiency.With the machine it is possible for the customer to optionally onlyplane straight the workpieces 1 on all four sides, wherein an adjustmentof at least one of the tools during throughfeed is not performed.Furthermore, at least on one side of the workpiece 1, a contour can bemilled while at least on one additional side only planing straightand/or profiling is performed.

For producing a contour on a workpiece, an NC program is firstgenerated, based on a workpiece drawing with the desired contouring. Thegeometry of this contour can be freely programmed. The NC programgeneration or the NC code generation is advantageously performed in anautomated process. The NC program is then transferred to the machinecontrol unit of the machine and is executed when machining theworkpieces 1, advantageously in a process that is repeated for eachworkpiece. The machine is a throughfeed machine in the form of a moulderwhich is provided with the auxiliary device in the form of the adjustingunit 33. The latter is provided for those spindles with which thecontours 28 on the workpiece 1 are to be generated. The machine has alsoa detection system in order to detect the position of the workpieces 1as the workpieces pass through the machine. Depending on the contour 28to be produced, the machine has special guiding and holding elements inorder to convey the workpieces 1 exactly, vibration-free, and free ofclearance through the machine.

The specification incorporates by reference the entire disclosure ofGerman priority document 10 2016 013 408.9 having a filing date of 4Nov. 2016.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will beunderstood that the invention may be embodied otherwise withoutdeparting from such principles.

What is claimed is:
 1. A machine for machining workpieces of wood, plastic material, and the like, the machine comprising: at least one transport path for workpieces on which the workpieces, during throughfeed of the workpieces through the machine, are transported in a throughfeed direction through the machine; tools fixedly seated on spindles and configured to machine the workpieces during throughfeed of the workpieces through the machine on the at least one transport path; an adjusting unit having a first adjusting axis; wherein at least one of the spindles is coupled with the adjusting unit; wherein the adjusting unit is configured to perform an adjustment of the at least one spindle, for producing a contour on the workpieces, in a direction transverse to the throughfeed direction during throughfeed of the workpieces through the machine, wherein the adjustment is carried out as function of an advancing speed of the workpieces and/or workpiece positions of the workpieces along the at least one transport path during throughfeed; wherein the adjusting unit has such a stiffness and/or low clearance and/or positioning precision that end products machined from the workpieces, when exiting from the machine, can be used without further post-machining.
 2. The machine according to claim 1, wherein a rotary speed of the at least one spindle is adjustable at all times during throughfeed of the workpieces through the machine as a function of the advancing speed and the contour of the workpieces such that a knife mark of the tool fixedly seated on the at least one spindle is maintained constant.
 3. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting unit is free of clearance.
 4. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting unit is a linear drive.
 5. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting unit is a ball screw drive.
 6. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting unit has a second adjusting axis.
 7. The machine according to claim 6, wherein the first and second adjusting axes of the adjusting unit are positioned at a right angle relative to each other.
 8. The machine according to claim 1, further comprising at least one measuring device configured to detect the workpiece positions in the machine
 9. The machine according to claim 8, wherein the at least one measuring device comprises a measuring roller that is contacting a side of the workpieces not to be machined with a contour.
 10. The machine according to claim 9, further comprising a machine control unit, wherein the at least one measuring device comprises a rotary encoder that detects a rotation of the measuring roller and sends corresponding detection signals to the machine control unit.
 11. The machine according to claim 10, wherein an adjusting speed or an adjusting movement of the adjustment of the adjusting unit is coupled by the machine control unit with the advancing speed of the workpieces in the machine or the advancing travel of the workpieces in the machine and thereby with the workpiece positions in the machine during throughfeed of the workpieces.
 12. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting unit is a device connectable to the machine.
 13. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the machine is a moulder.
 14. A method for machining workpieces of wood, plastic material, and the like, with a machine according to claim 1, the method comprising: generating an NC program for a machine control unit of the machine based on a desired and freely selectable geometry or contour; executing the NC program during throughfeed of the workpieces through the machine and repeating the NC program for each one of the workpieces; detecting a travel or a position of the workpieces during throughfeed of the workpieces through the machine; moving at least one contour producing tool transverse to a throughfeed direction of the workpieces through the machine with at least one adjusting unit as a function of a desired contour of the workpieces, of tool data, and of the workpiece positions; wherein the adjusting unit has such a stiffness and/or low clearance and/or positioning precision that the finish machined workpieces, when exiting from the machine, have such a geometry precision and surface quality that the finish machined workpieces can be used without further post-machining. 